I hate those %@**7!)# grocery selfcheck out machines.

I used a self checkout a few years ago, and ended up arguing with the machine. It told me to put my item in a bag, but I didn't want to do it. The item was too big for the bag, I think. Next thing I knew, a few employees appeared out of nowhere, and moved some displays so I couldn't leave. They must have thought I was trying to steal something. They helped me finish the purchases.

I recently tried once again. It was probably 4 years after the last aborted attempt. This time everything went smoothly. I was elated. Then I went home, got out of the taxi, and immediately fell on my ass.
 

I got used to picking up my groceries during the pandemic. I still do that. I rarely go into a grocery store. I just hate the idea of the self check out. I enjoy interacting with people and hate the thought of those jobs going away.
 
Back in the day, when I was younger and a bit more mobile (read, did not need the mart kart) I did not mind if I just had a few things. Used self check out almost exclusively if at Sams Club or BJS....as I did not buy a lot there.
 

I understand wholeheartedly Fuzzbuddy. I used to hate them too. Seems like whenever I used one to save time, there'd be a problem that caused me to have to wait for an attendant and it wasted more time. Since our local supermarket got them during COVID and I preferred not to stand in line, I've gotten used to using them. It's quicker, I don't have to worry about the cashier, who handles money harboring Lord know what kind of germs, touching my stuff.

That "Please remove your items" over and over had me talking to the machine. :LOL: But Thursday, I actually found one that didn't do that. Since I don't buy many items at once at our local supermarket, I use the self check outs. But when I go to Walmart, where I buy more because it's a quarterly shopping trip, I go to a cashier.
 
hollydolly said:
so far we do not have self checkout at Costco..thank God.. because the checkout staff are much faster than anyone could be checking themselves out...at least at our Costco
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The self checkout at Costco is only for a few items. I don’t think they even removed any of the regular tills, just found the space at one end. They’re great for the person who just wants to run in quickly. The tills are still there for the usual shoppers. A couple of weeks ago the regular lineups were all the way back to the end of the store.

They have self ordering at the restaurant too. It’s much more efficient. Put your order in and pay with a card at a central till area. Stand to the side and wait until your number is called.
 
Jules said:
The self checkout at Costco is only for a few items. I don’t think they even removed any of the regular tills, just found the space at one end. They’re great for the person who just wants to run in quickly. The tills are still there for the usual shoppers. A couple of weeks ago the regular lineups were all the way back to the end of the store.

They have self ordering at the restaurant too. It’s much more efficient. Put your order in and pay with a card at a central till area. Stand to the side and wait until your number is called.
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I wish they would implement that system at our Costco restaurant, because that's the slowest part of any shopping trip there.. long slow queues.. while people use it not just while they're shopping but as a Take-away as well.. and on hot days people come in mob-handed with a crowd of kids to get them all ice-creams, and we all stand in the queue like dummies waiting for these little darlings to make their minds up what they want...
 
ronk said:
I used a self checkout a few years ago, and ended up arguing with the machine. It told me to put my item in a bag, but I didn't want to do it. The item was too big for the bag, I think. Next thing I knew, a few employees appeared out of nowhere, and moved some displays so I couldn't leave. They must have thought I was trying to steal something. They helped me finish the purchases.

I recently tried once again. It was probably 4 years after the last aborted attempt. This time everything went smoothly. I was elated. Then I went home, got out of the taxi, and immediately fell on my ass.
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:) Falling on your bottom is generally safer than on a hip or a wrist, I hope you didn't hurt yourself.
 
They still haven't worked out the bugs. First, the machines are meant to have people standing at the counter, if you're seated it throws off some sensors. Also, if you buy over more than 8 of the same item, you will get the dreaded "Assistance needed". And it will do the same for the 9th, 10th, 11th, etc.
They are trying to make check out swift and easy, but keeping you from robbing them blind- with the same machine. And that's the problem- it's hard to have one technology do both.
 
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I think this self check out business is one reason why Instacart and other delivery services are becoming more popular. Sure, we pay a little more to have them delivered but in our case it’s almost necessary. We recently joined a promotion on Instacart and received $200 towards groceries and no delivery charge. This allows us to give a good delivery person a good tip.

The one thing I don’t like about this is that the grocery store, Publix, adds a few cents on each item you buy. Never understood why as we are still shopping there, just not in person.
 
VaughanJB said:
Human beings are fascinating creatures. Self-check out was sold to us as being quicker, more efficient way to get into stores and then out again. Whereas in fact, we were actively participating in an experiment to get rid of check out clerks. We were taking on the work of the person who lost their job ourselves - in essence, now doing the work the supermarket used to pay for. Yet - these are everywhere.

There's also no reason to hire more check out clerks. They can gradually train us to not wait in long lines - often created by not having enough check outs open - and to go do it ourselves.

In other words, there is no reason for these check outs to exist, other than to try and make up for the inefficiencies of the supermarket themselves.
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Actually, that is not my experience. I've been in many stores with self check out machines only, and have to wait in long lines to use them primarily because many are not working. So no longer are they being 'sold' to us as a means to get out of the store faster. The lines to use them are as long as before.
 
Robb.hisself said:
Actually, that is not my experience. I've been in many stores with self check out machines only, and have to wait in long lines to use them primarily because many are not working. So no longer are they being 'sold' to us as a means to get out of the store faster. The lines to use them are as long as before.
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Never seen a store with ONLY these machines. I guess they want you to work for your groceries.
 
MarciKS said:
We now have several kiosks in McDonald's here to order our own food from so they don't need more than one cashier. I hate it.
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We use the McDonalds app. We order online and pay for it. They give us a number line “17” and when we get to the checkout window, we give them the number and they hand us our bag of food. Plus, we get a discount for using the app.
 
I use self checkout if we only have a few items. If we have a full cart, I definitely use a cashier. We stopped at a Walmart about 50 miles away a few weeks ago, and they had Only self checkout....we turned around and left...Nuts to that store.
 
Pappy said:
I think this self check out business is one reason why Instacart and other delivery services are becoming more popular. Sure, we pay a little more to have them delivered but in our case it’s almost necessary. We recently joined a promotion on Instacart and received $200 towards groceries and no delivery charge. This allows us to give a good delivery person a good tip.

The one thing I don’t like about this is that the grocery store, Publix, adds a few cents on each item you buy. Never understood why as we are still shopping there, just not in person.
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Can I just point out that the delivery driver didn't select your groceries in the store. That was done by in store employees. The driver simply loaded your groceries, along with a number of other orders that your neighbors ordered, and drove to your house. The driver is also being paid by the grocery store by the hour to drive the company van. Do you give a tip to your US postal delivery person, every time you get mail ? Think about that for a minute. I don't think you need to tip the driver for doing the job he is being paid to do. Of course if you have lots of money, you can do with it as you want. JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
Can I just point out that the delivery driver didn't select your groceries in the store. That was done by in store employees. The driver simply loaded your groceries, along with a number of other orders that your neighbors ordered, and drove to your house. The driver is also being paid by the grocery store by the hour to drive the company van. Do you give a tip to your US postal delivery person, every time you get mail ? Think about that for a minute. I don't think you need to tip the driver for doing the job he is being paid to do. Of course if you have lots of money, you can do with it as you want. JimB.
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Whoa Jim. In Florida the Instacart person shops for our orders, not store employees. These folks use their own cars for the deliveries and will bring right in the house if you ask, thus the extra tip. We are on a fixed income and don’t have a lot of money. Maybe in Canada it is different.
 
oldman said:
We use the McDonalds app. We order online and pay for it. They give us a number line “17” and when we get to the checkout window, we give them the number and they hand us our bag of food. Plus, we get a discount for using the app.
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That's the wave of the future for fast food here in California. Beginning on April 1 next year wages for fast food workers begin at $20.00 per hour. (Imagine being able to pull down a salary of $40,000 per year just flippin' burgers. Who needs college?) I've read that McDonald's has a store in Texas that is experimental that is fully automated with no humans present. What worries me is when they no longer need humans to buy their products.
 
Pappy said:
Whoa Jim. In Florida the Instacart person shops for our orders, not store employees. These folks use their own cars for the deliveries and will bring right in the house if you ask, thus the extra tip. We are on a fixed income and don’t have a lot of money. Maybe in Canada it is different.
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Why has the home delivery thing not really taken off in the US? I'm curious. The home delivery here is taken care of by the store itself. They hire the pickers, they hire the delivery people, it's completely an in-house system. As soon as you add a third party, costs go up.
 
VaughanJB said:
Why has the home delivery thing not really taken off in the US? I'm curious. The home delivery here is taken care of by the store itself. They hire the pickers, they hire the delivery people, it's completely an in-house system. As soon as you add a third party, costs go up.
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Actually Vaughan, it does sound like a better system than we have.
. We have curb pickup at the store and the shopping is done by the employees. We use this at BJs warehouse store. The product is brought out to our car. Mostly use this for bulk products.

We are both in our 80s and it is getting tough to do our own shopping. Instacart is helping us with our shopping. A bit pricy but worth it to us.
 
Pappy said:
Actually Vaughan, it does sound like a better system than we have.
. We have curb pickup at the store and the shopping is done by the employees. We use this at BJs warehouse store. The product is brought out to our car. Mostly use this for bulk products.

We are both in our 80s and it is getting tough to do our own shopping. Instacart is helping us with our shopping. A bit pricy but worth it to us.
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Yeah, I use Instacart myself for an elderly relative who lives in Florida.

In the UK, as I say, it's run by the store. I pay £6.50 per month, and that covers all delivery fee's for that month, so I can buy as often as I want (I only do two or three a month, though). The only thing that is better in Instacart is that it's difficult to get same day delivery from my service in the UK. You're really buying for delivery tomorrow. If you demand same day, then you have to pay more and it's just not worth it.
 
Pappy said:
Whoa Jim. In Florida the Instacart person shops for our orders, not store employees. These folks use their own cars for the deliveries and will bring right in the house if you ask, thus the extra tip. We are on a fixed income and don’t have a lot of money. Maybe in Canada it is different.
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Yes in Canada it is different . The grocery stores deliver food that you have ordered on line, using company owned vans. The drivers are employees of the company, and they are paid a living wage under their union contract with the employer with benefits like medical insurance, free uniforms and safety footwear, and annual vacation pay.

The average hourly rate for one of those drivers is $23, plus the benefits I mentioned above. I have to wonder if those Instacart drivers are declaring their income to the IRS every year, and does their car insurance company know they are using the vehicle for commercial purposes ? I wonder about that ? JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
Yes in Canada it is different . The grocery stores deliver food that you have ordered on line, using company owned vans. The drivers are employees of the company, and they are paid a living wage under their union contract with the employer with benefits like medical insurance, free uniforms and safety footwear, and annual vacation pay.

The average hourly rate for one of those drivers is $23, plus the benefits I mentioned above. I have to wonder if those Instacart drivers are declaring their income to the IRS every year, and does their car insurance company know they are using the vehicle for commercial purposes ? I wonder about that ? JimB.
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Those are good questions Jim but I have no idea. Pappy
 
VaughanJB said:
Yeah, I use Instacart myself for an elderly relative who lives in Florida.

In the UK, as I say, it's run by the store. I pay £6.50 per month, and that covers all delivery fee's for that month, so I can buy as often as I want (I only do two or three a month, though). The only thing that is better in Instacart is that it's difficult to get same day delivery from my service in the UK. You're really buying for delivery tomorrow. If you demand same day, then you have to pay more and it's just not worth it.
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Sounds like a much better deal to me. I never use same day delivery anyway. I order on Thursday and get my order Friday morning. I get a small discount by doing it this way.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I hate those %@**7!)# grocery self check out machines. One more "Put your item in the bagging area.", I'm going to beat it to death. I can never get through without "assistance is needed, assistance is needed", and I have to sit there and wait for a clerk. When you scan an item, the machines says " Put your tomatoes in the bagging area.", "Put your pasta in the bagging area". I really don't need for everybody to hear, " Put your hemorrhoid cream in the bagging area". I have never gone through a self check out, with "assistance is needed".
Usually, I like technology, but it's technology that works.
I hate those %@**7!)# grocery selfcheck out machines.
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I decided I would master those bastards because I can get out faster with a few items and I can check prices as I go so I don't have to hear, " Manager needed at aisle 2!" or worse, told "You'll have to stop at customer service"
It's all the same. 😧
 

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